At least 25 Indian passengers die after bus catches fire: ‘Passengers were sleeping’

Police say people are charred beyong recognition as most deaths caused by ensuing fire

A passenger bus in India’s western state of Maharashtra crashed and caught fire, killing at least 25 people and injuring eight people on board.

Police said the incident happened around 1.35am on Saturday morning when the bus was en route from Nagpur to Pune on the Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway in Buldhana district.

The bus was travelling at a high speed when it hit the pole and slammed into a wall on the highway, leading to an explosion in the diesel tank of the bus that set the vehicle ablaze, police said.

There were 33 passengers on board, including two drivers and another staffer. The bus driver survived the crash while another, who was sleeping inside the bus, died.

“People were unable to escape the fire. Around eight people were able to survive the incident but unfortunately, 25 people have died,” said police official Sunil Kadasane.

“These fatalities were caused due to burning rather than the impact of the accident because all the bodies are badly charred.”

Police officials said they are investigating the cause of the accident and they are in the process of registering a formal complaint.

The driver of the bus is suspected to have fallen asleep while driving, an official said, according to the Indian Express.

Onlookers stand next to an official collecting samples from the remains of a bus that caught fire along the Samruddhi Expressway (AFP via Getty Images)

Police said most of the passengers were sleeping as it was early in the morning when the accident happened. The bus overturned onto his side where there are doors, blocking the passengers from escaping from doors and windows, they added.

An eyewitness of the tragic bus crash told PTI news agency that he saw “people being burnt alive” while many made attempts to break the windows as the blaze swept the vehicle in no time.

A local resident who was not named said: “People inside were trying to break the windows. We saw people getting burnt alive...The fire was so intense that we could not do anything. We were in tears.”

A survivor of the crash said: “The passenger seated next to me and I managed to escape by breaking the rear window.”

People gather next to the remains of a bus (background) that caught fire along the Samruddhi Expressway (AFP via Getty Images)

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Sindhe “expressed deep grief over the horrific accident” and visited the site of the crash to take stock of the situation.

The owner of the bus Virendra Darna said the vehicle was bought in 2020 and the driver was experienced.

“We bought the bus in the year 2020. The bus driver Danish was experienced in driving. We have got information that the bus hit the road divider after tyre burst. Due to the presence of flammable items in the bus, the bus caught fire,” he said

Mr Sindhe announced a sum of Rs 500,000 (£4,793) to the next of kin of those deceased in the incident.

“While giving instructions to provide immediate help to the accident victims, the Chief Minister also directed to provide immediate medical treatment to the injured at government expense,” his office said.

Prime minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the deaths and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 200,000 (£1,917) to the next of kin of those dead in the crash.

“Deeply saddened by the devastating bus mishap in Buldhana, Maharashtra. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected,” the prime minister’s office said in a tweet.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the bodies of the victims were charred beyond recognition and ordered DNA tests for those whose identities could not be established.

The incident comes almost a month after the worst train accident in the history of Indian railways in almost a decade. Almost 261 people were killed and 1,000 were injured in a crash involving three trains in Odisha state.